VP, Operations

How You’ll Contribute

The National Geographic Society headquarters, based in Washington, D.C., is undergoing a $300 million public space renovation project to be completed in 2026 (called Base Camp). Components of the new guest experience will include a state-of-the-art pavilion entrance, auditorium, iconic photo gallery, exhibition space, immersive walk-through attraction, retail, F&B, rooftop bar, education center, archives, VIP tours, and exciting new event space. A fully sustainable, on-brand hotel may also be built and operated by a third party on the campus. The capstone of the renovation is a one-of-a-kind nighttime entertainment show in the courtyard. In addition to this new on-campus experience, National Geographic Society has an existing business of touring exhibitions and immersive experience that will be growing and expanding.

The Vice President of Operations, reporting to the Chief Campus & Experiences Officer, will be responsible for leading existing campus operations through the construction phase while also planning for all operational components and enabling our readiness to deliver a world-class guest experience. The Vice President will also oversee the exhibit operations, production, and museum technology teams, which support our existing traveling exhibitions / experiences business, and will support the new exhibitions at Base Camp.

Your Impact

Responsibilities Include

Campus Operations (20% now; change to 40% after opening)

• Oversee existing general services (facilities) group to ensure the campus is excellently maintained with smooth customer service operations, including the areas of engineering and electrical, cleaning, mail services, carpentry and paint, food services, and sustainability
• Oversee visitor experience group to provide a world class experience for all museum guests, including individual buyers, members, groups, tour attendees, and event attendees; create visitor surveys and set and manage to NPS goals
• Oversee the exhibit operations & production group, ensuring on-site exhibits are excellently installed and maintained and that NGS print and production requests are fulfilled in a quality and timely manner
• Oversee technology operations in the public space for both museum and event operations
• Collaborate with the VP of Security on campus operations and the frequent interaction and work of the two groups
• Collaborate with the Building Operations team on workplace services, such as office space planning and internal communications
• Establish positive working relationships with NGS tenants and neighbors, proactively reaching out on a regular basis and resolving any issues quickly

Operational Planning (20% now; change to 0% after opening)

• Work closely with the Building Operations team to anticipate and mitigate construction impacts on campus occupants and visitors
• Integrate into the construction management process at key points; review all existing drawings from an operational perspective and provide expert input into necessary changes, ensuring MEP and other key systems are planned for optimal operations; review shop drawings for operational concerns and provide feedback, etc.
• Responsible for owning and leading the pre-opening schedule and budget; ensure all teams with pre-opening responsibilities have a built schedule and are tracking against it; review, own, and track the pre-opening budget, managing expenses carefully
• Review and recommend the necessary organizational structure for the operations team for the opening of Base Camp, including number of staff, positions/duties, hours, and timeline for hiring; recruit, hire, and train the full team prior to opening
• Develop staff training programs that will prioritize excellent customer service and advancement of membership goals while meeting operational and efficiency goals and conveying the National Geographic story accurately and compellingly

Support of and Collaboration with Revenue and Creative Teams (25%)

• Work with event sales team and NGS event programming team to ensure events happening on campus are appropriately planned, staffed, set up, and broken down
• Work with the retail team on loading dock and storage logistics; include retail team and other front line staffing groups in relevant training programs, staff scheduling procedures, etc.
• Work with food and beverage concessionaire on loading dock and storage logistics, staff training, cleaning, etc.
• The operations & production group and experiences technical team are key members of the day-to-day operations of Base Camp. However, they are also critical to the success of the exhibit design and content teams, both for on-campus work and for NGS’ traveling exhibitions/experiences business.
  • Work collaboratively with the VP of Planning & Development to be integrated into the project schedule for all new exhibitions and products
  • Provide input and expertise on budget development, project schedules, and insourcing vs. outsourcing
  • Ensure all approved projects are appropriately resourced from the operations and technical teams

Building and Leading Team (20%)

• Evaluate and improve existing team processes, staffing, training, etc.
• Ensure operations team is integrated into the broader Campus & Experiences team
• Mentor team leaders to develop them into strong managers and inspiring leaders
• Create a culture of learning, developing staff internally from junior positions and providing opportunity for advancement

Department Strategy and Planning (15%)

• Oversee annual budget development and management of multiple cost centers under the operations group
• Oversee development of long-term planning for campus capital improvements, including multi-year schedules and cost estimating
• Monitor industry trends and identifying areas for improvement and greater efficiencies

Educational Background

Bachelor’s degree required; Advanced degree preferred

Minimum Years And Type Of Experience

7+ years of management experience with 15+ years’ experience in the visitor operations, facilities management, and/or museum/attraction operations

Necessary Knowledge And Skills

• Expertise in facility operations and visitor experience operations
• Proven ability to attract, mentor, motivate, and lead a strong, cohesive and high-performing team
• Understanding of the current trends in the museums and attractions industry
• Sound judgment, strategic thinking, and ability to act decisively
• Strong work ethic and ability to develop and implement policies, practices, and systems
• Superior written and oral communications skills
• Proficiency in both the Microsoft Office suite and Google Workspace tools

Desired Qualifications

• Demonstrated success in building, training, and leading a team, preferably during the planning and opening of a new facility / museum / attraction
• Ability to excel during change management and guide a team through transformational growth
• Experience creating and managing department budget
• Ability to work in a fast paced, multi-phase project environment with shifting priorities
• Proactive, positive, customer service mindset
• Ability to work nights and weekends as needed; on call 7 days a week, 24 hours a day

Supervision

Current team of 70 staff members (4 direct reports)

Job Designation

Resident

Salary Information

As a leading nonprofit organization, National Geographic Society offers competitive salary and total rewards to attract, develop, and retain an innovative and dynamic workforce.

National Geographic Society offers a competitive and holistic total rewards package. Our compensation structure and transparent pay philosophy are based on industry-specific market data for similar sized nonprofit organizations. The salary range for this position is $216,000 - $250,000, and pay offered to candidates will be based on several factors including but not limited to industry-based or other relevant work experience, education, skills, certifications, and training.

In addition, National Geographic Society offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits package that includes, but is not limited to, medical, dental, and vision insurance; engaging and comprehensive wellness program; 401(k) retirement savings plan with matching contributions after 6 months of employment; flexible paid time off benefits with up to 22 days of paid annual leave per calendar year (15 days for new hires in their first year, prorated based on the number of pay periods remaining in the year) and 10 days of sick leave; 12 paid holidays and a paid winter break between December 25 and 31; paid parental leave, adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility benefits; learning and development opportunities; Lifestyle Spending Account; pet adoption assistance and insurance; pre-tax transportation benefits with a generous employer subsidy; employer-paid life insurance and disability benefit; and a variety of National Geographic discounts and perks.

Job Designation

Resident - Our Resident category recognizes that certain staff need to be physically present at Base Camp to do their work. Some Resident staff must always be onsite to do their jobs, while others may only need to be physically present some of the time. Some Resident staff may need to come into Base Camp every day, some may need to come in to meet looming deadlines and to get work done, and others may require a more unique schedule. The days Resident staff come into the office will be determined by their teams and workflow, and they should work with their supervisors to determine their specific schedule. And throughout the year, their schedule can be adjusted based on cyclical work cycles, deadlines, and/or ebbs and flows of work. As a guideline, Resident staff will be in the office between 3-5 days a week.

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

We encourage you to apply even if your experience is not a 100% match with the position. We are looking for someone with relevant skills and experience, not a checklist that exactly matches the job description. We want to help you grow and in return, you help us grow into a stronger, more inclusive organization.